By Dr. Jason Cooney, DC
A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children and Teens Feel Calm and Prepared Before Scrambler Therapy
By Dr. Jason Cooney, DC, Clinical Director, Scrambler Therapy NJ USA
When chronic nerve pain keeps your child out of school, interrupts sleep or makes an ordinary touch hurt, considering another treatment can bring both hope and apprehension. Parents want to know whether it could help. Children want to know what will happen—and whether it will hurt.
At Scrambler Therapy NJ USA, those questions belong at the beginning of the conversation.
Before treatment, I personally speak with each family about their child’s symptoms, previous care and whether Scrambler Therapy may be an appropriate next step.
Preparing your child starts with understanding the treatment together, at a pace that feels manageable.
Our New Jersey practice has provided Calmare Scrambler Therapy for children, adults and seniors since 2011.
For families exploring this non-invasive approach to pediatric chronic nerve pain, here is how to help children and teenagers arrive feeling informed, supported and comfortable asking questions.
What parents should know about pediatric Scrambler Therapy
Scrambler Therapy, also called Calmare Therapy, uses a device to deliver low-level electrical signals through small electrodes placed on the skin near the painful area. The goal is to change how pain signals are processed and reduce neuropathic pain.
Treatment involves no needles, IVs, surgery or anesthesia. The therapy itself administers no medication. Your child remains awake and can tell us what they feel throughout the session.
The Calmare device has FDA 510(k) clearance for pain relief. That clearance should not be interpreted as a guarantee of success or proof that it treats every pediatric pain condition.
Families often contact us about complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), persistent pain after surgery or other difficult-to-treat nerve pain.
If your child has amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS), we discuss the diagnosis and their existing care plan carefully.
AMPS is not interchangeable with peripheral neuropathy, and treatment decisions should account for the child’s rehabilitation and broader pediatric pain care.
Published pediatric research offers encouraging findings, including a small study of adolescents with chemotherapy-related neuropathic pain.
Helping younger children feel comfortable
Explain what they will see and feel. A simple description is usually more useful than a detailed discussion of nerve signals: “The doctor will put small sticky patches on your skin. You may feel a gentle tingling. You can tell us how it feels, and we’ll listen.”
Avoid promising that your child will feel nothing. We want treatment to feel comfortable; if a sensation bothers them, they should tell us immediately so we can adjust or pause.
Practice speaking up. Children who have lived with pain may worry that another adult will dismiss it. Let your child know they can say, “That feels uncomfortable,” ask a question or request a break. They do not need to hide discomfort to be a good patient.
Bring something familiar. A favorite stuffed animal, soft blanket, headphones or a quiet activity can help make an unfamiliar room feel more comfortable. Choose items your child enjoys and can tolerate against sensitive skin.
Explain how you will support them. Tell us in advance about anxiety, sensory sensitivities or difficulty tolerating touch. Ask about staying beside your child during treatment and any arrangements that could help.
If your child wants to hear about another young patient, you can explore our pediatric pain management stories together.
Present it as one child’s experience, with room for your child’s questions and their own treatment journey.
Giving teenagers a meaningful voice
Include them in the consultation, assuming you feel this would be productive.
They may have questions they have not shared with you:
Will the electrodes hurt?
What if treatment does not help?
How much school will I miss?
- Give them a voice and choices. Allow them to describe their pain in their own words. Let them choose whether music, a podcast or quiet would help during sessions. Small choices can restore a sense of control when pain has disrupted so much of daily life.
- Discuss their personal goals. Sleeping through the night, sitting through class or wearing a shoe comfortably may matter more than a number on a pain scale. Understanding what improvement would mean to your teenager helps us focus on what matters to them.
- Offer encouragement without pressure. Your teenager does not need to appear optimistic or report improvement to reassure anyone. Honest feedback helps us assess their response and guide care.
Pre-and post-Calmare Therapy treatment guidance
Our standard treatment series involves 10 weekday sessions over approximately two weeks, with sessions typically lasting about 35 minutes.
We discuss the recommended schedule during your consultation. Improvement can occur at different points, and some patients do not obtain meaningful relief.
Before arriving, review our treatment preparation guidelines.
Bring the requested records and a complete medication list. Choose loose, comfortable clothing and follow our instructions about avoiding lotions or oils before treatment. Do not stop or reduce prescribed medication without the prescribing clinician’s guidance.
Before your child’s final Scrambler Therapy treatment, I will provide detailed post-treatment instructions and recommendations tailored to your child’s diagnosis, response and future healthcare.
Clarify how to approach school, activity and physical therapy with the clinicians involved in their care. Keep a brief record of pain, sleep and everyday function, and contact us about concerns after returning home.
Start with a free consultation with Dr. Jason Cooney, DC
You do not have to decide whether Scrambler Therapy is right for your child before speaking with us. That is the purpose of our conversation.
I personally consult with families to understand their child’s pain history, answer questions, address treatment goals and mutually assess whether treatment at Scrambler Therapy NJ USA may be appropriate.
There is no fee for this phone or video consultation.
Call 201-933-4440 or request your free consultation. Your child or teenager is welcome to join us and ask the questions that matter to them.
